It was a battle right to the bitter end, said Bonnyville Bandits head coach Dan Jubinville, but his team came together when it counted most last Saturday in Lloydminster, capturing the team's second straight Wheatland Bantam Football League championship, with a 19-12 win over the Lloyd Mustangs.
Saturday's game was a rematch of last year's championship final, which the Bandits won handily. Jubinville said this year there was little room for error.
“We took the lead early and held on the entire way, but hand it to Lloyd for never giving up,” said Jubinville. “Then it was our defence coming up huge for us, which they have all season. They managed to strip the ball late in the game and run it back 95 yards (for the winning touchdown).”
Jubinville said his players showed a lot of heart and camaraderie, playing on the road and beating a tough team like Lloyd, when the pressure was on.
“Our boys came up big when it counted and it feels amazing, they are pretty pumped,” said Jubinville. “When you start playing or coaching, you don't really expect something like this. You hope to do it. And then when it happens, it's like a dream come true.”
The Bandits returned home following the win and upon entering Bonnyville received an official escort back to Walsh Field from community members and local RCMP.
“We have such great fans here and this community is so supportive of the Bandits and football in general. It's great to see,” said Jubinville.
Jubinville said one of the differences between this year and last year was the depth of his roster. He said last season's squad had a backup at nearly every position, while this year, he has some players filling multiple roles.
“We might not be as deep as we were, losing 14 of our veterans from last year, but in terms of raw skill and ability, our boys this year are right there with the best of them.”
With the win, the Bandits now move on to the Northern Provincial Final and face the St. Albert 49ers, champions of the Capital District Minor Football Association.
The game is scheduled for Saturday at Walsh Field in Bonnyville, with kickoff at 1 p.m.
